1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape-like, pressure sensitive label strip for use in a hand-held label printing and dispensing machine (hereinafter referred to as a "label printing machine"). More particularly, the invention relates to the feeding cuts in the label strip by means of which the label strip is advanced through the label printing machine when the feeding cuts are engaged by feeding pins formed on a feeding roller. These feeding cut lines may also serve for preventing the unauthorized switching of labels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional pressure sensitive label strip comprises a long, thin strip layer of label material having an adhesive coating layer on its underside and a long, thin strip layer of backing material having a releasing agent coating layer on its top side. The strip of label material has a plurality of transverse parting cut lines which define unit label pieces between these parting cut lines. Feeding cut lines are formed across each parting cut line in the label material for defining small tabs. At the positions corresponding to the feeding cut lines, additional feeding cut lines are defined in the backing material. Such a label strip according to the prior art can be easily advanced through a label printing machine.
When the respective feeding cut lines of the label material and the backing material are brought into engagement with the feeding pins of the feeding roller in a label printing machine, the pins force the tabs to stand up out of the plane of the strip. After that, the erected feeding tabs, or tongues, are depressed flat by a label correcting member which is attached to the printing head, and the label strip is advanced into the printing section. The label material is then printed. One drawback of this arrangement is that each erected tongue of the backing material is often pressed down over the front edge portion of a label during the flattening of the erected feeding tongue because the feeding cut line of the backing material is located just underneath the parting cut line of the label material. The overlapped portion in the front side of the unit label piece cannot be printed.
Each printed label material is then peeled off from the backing material and the peeled label is applied to the surface of merchandise. During this operation, the feeding tongue is liable to be erected again. Erected tongues on the front and rear edges of a label can be flattened by rubbing them with an applicator roller upon their being applied to merchandise, but an erected feeding tongue on the front side is often left standing because it is outside the range of the applicator roller. As a result, the appearance of the label is unsatisfactory and, in addition, it is easy to grasp the tongue to switch labels or merchandise.